Adverb +する/なる
Please read Nounにする・なる first.
Adverb + する and Adverb + なる are like the noun version, are similar patterns.
- The する version implies that someone (i.e. the speaker) did something.
- The なる version implies a natural change. (i.e. nature/time did it)
Both patterns can only be used with an adverb. More specifically (in most cases), an adverb formed from an adjective.
Adverbial conjugation of adjectives review:
- い Adjectives: changing the last い to く.
- な adjectives: use に instead of な.
This means these patterns can look like either:
- ~くする/なる(い adjectives) or
- ~にする/なる (な adjectives)
Adverb + する (Make it X)
~くする/~にする
い adjective → Adverb (く)+する (make into a state)
な adjective→ Drop な + にする (make into a state)
Adverb + する means to Make (する) something into X (state). There is an actor involved in this pattern. (Transitive)
Examples
- あかくする – Make (it) red(der). (implies it was less/not red)
- たのしくする – Make (it) fun.
- 静にする – Make (it) into quiet. → Make it quiet.
- こえを大きくした – Made (their) voice big → Made (their) voice bigger.
- きれいにする – Make it into clean — Make it clean. (wasn’t clean)
に/く Note
- The くする pattern feels like “make it more x“.
- This is probably in part due to ~くなる being used for gradual change. (see below)
- にする feels more like “make into X”, due to に being a final state marker.
Adverb + なる (To become X)
~くなる/~になる
い adjective → Adverb (く)+なる
な adjective→ Drop な + になる
~くなる or ~になる means “to become X”. There is no actor here. It cannot be used for things someone did (to something).
Examples
- あかくなる – (will) Become red(ish).
- たのしくなる – (will) Become fun.
- 静になった – Became quiet.
- 子供は大きくなる – Children get (become) bigger.
くなる vs になる
くなる is used for more gradual changes. “become more X”
になる is used for a generic or quick change. (に is final state marker)
- あかくなる – Turn red./Turn redder (Become redder until red)
- あかになる – (will) become red.
- 赤くなった – Got redder
- 赤になった – Became red.
This nice poster put it like this:
- 赤になる – Is like a traffic light
- 赤くなる – Is like blushing